Thermal cell lysis chamber with lysis control circuitry

Abstract

An example apparatus comprises a thermal cell lysis chamber, including a substrate and a lid coupled to the substrate to form a microfluidic channel therethrough. The apparatus includes cell detection circuitry to detect presence of a cell within the microfluidic channel and to detect lysis of the cell. The apparatus also includes a thermal lysing element disposed in the lid to apply heat to a cell detected by the cell detection circuitry, and lysis control circuitry. The lysis control circuitry is to regulate a temperature applied by the thermal lysing element, based on detection by the cell detection circuitry of a cell within the microfluidic channel and based on detection by the cell detection circuitry of a lysis event, and record the temperature applied by the thermal lysing element at which the lysis event occurred.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a thermal cell lysis chamber, including a substrate and a lid coupled to the substrate to form a microfluidic channel therethrough;   cell detection element to detect presence of a cell within the microfluidic channel and to detect lysis of the cell, the cell detection element including a pair of impedance sensors to detect the presence of the cell within the microfluidic channel responsive to a rapid increase in impedance measured by the pair of impedance sensors;   a thermal lysing element disposed in the lid between the pair of impedance sensors to apply heat to a cell detected by the cell detection element; and   lysis control circuitry to:
 regulate a temperature applied by the thermal lysing element, based on detection by the cell detection element of a cell within the microfluidic channel and based on detection by the cell detection element of a lysis event, wherein the lysis control circuitry is to regulate the temperature applied by the thermal lysing element at least by instructing the thermal lysing element to apply heat to the detected cell; and 
 record the temperature applied by the thermal lysing element at which the lysis event occurred. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cell detection element includes the pair of impedance sensors to detect lysis of a detected cell responsive to a rapid decline in impedance measured by the pair of impedance sensors. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lysis control circuitry is to gradually increase the temperature applied by the thermal lysing element and record impedance across the microfluidic channel at each temperature applied by the thermal lysing element. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cell detection element includes a photodetector to optically detect the presence of a cell within the microfluidic channel, and to detect a lysis event by visually observing rupture of the cellular membrane.